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Leirouthtopian Industry & Commerce

Xanadu Weyr - Shore of Lake Caspian

The cliffs that run along the shore come and go, various weyrs nestled along the tops of them or dug into the walls, but eventually they recede enough to expose a beach. The white sand echoes the rise and fall of the cliffs with a multitude of sandy dunes, endlessly creating tiny valleys that are constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of dragons. The dunes smooth out as the gentle slope approaches the edge of the deep blue water. The sand darkens, and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect.

The beach narrows to the southwest, leaving a path barely wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to a smaller, more sheltered cove. The sands are the same white, the waters the same blue, but they're calmer and more tranquil, more protected from the winds that ruffle Lake Caspian and the currents that tug beneath the surface.

Rough, wide stairs lead up to the meadow above and the road that runs along the top of the cliffs, passing through the fields and heading for the river mouth that can be just barely seen from here. The largest of the staircases up the cliff is located near the docks that jut out onto the peaceful blue waters.

The beach has been a popular hangout since the closing of the baths, and it doesn't seem like Teinon is particularly immune to that trend. He has ventured to the beach along with the rest, but unlike the others, he is dressed in work clothes and carrying a bucket. He's barefoot, with his trousers rolled up, but that hasn't stopped the hems from getting a bit damp. Just now, he's sloshing his way out into the lakes far enough to fill that bucket with clean water, without the risk of contamination from the sand or muck at the bottom. Then, with cheerful determination, he starts hauling the bucket up the beach. He's not, however, headed toward the box fort. Instead, he heads for the stairs up to the weyr proper, only dripping a /bit/ in his wake.

Rinian and Mathis had been switching off who tended the makeshift bathing area as best they can, making a few marks on the side around chores and lessons. So far, so good, as it's been a fairly popular attraction at the box spa. Obviously the bathing area can't be manned all day and night and undoubtedly people have been using them when neither woodcrafter is available, there was no illusions on that. At least whoever's been doing it has been cleaning up after themselves and restocking the wood beneath the cauldron. Not that this is at all on Mathis's mind as he drags a large wooden something or another along the ground, headed towards where all the activity was, but backwards in awkward shuffling steps. There is only a second or two's attention given to his direction, a peek over his shoulder to make sure he's on track and not about to trip over something or run into someone before the tug-tug-tug-draaaaaaag continues in earnest. He gets a few odd looks by passersby, but the teen doesn't seem even slightly put out that no one steps up to offer their assistance, getting to approximately where he wants to be all on his own and gratefully lets go as he stops to stretch himself out with a groan. It's amid this attempt to placate protesting muscles that he spots Teinon and his bucket, offering a wave along with that curious expression he was wearing, "Oh hey, Teinon. What you up to?"

Teinon makes sure to alter his course to avoid colliding with the wood-dragging teen, though he does look a bit amused about it. The greeting is met with a wave, and a glance down at the bucket. For a moment, he looks a bit confounded about how to answer, but he finally settles on two signs. "Secret. Sylvarin." Maybe Mathis knows those by now! It's hard to say, since Teinon totally made up the sign for 'Sylvarin.' Nevertheless, he leaves it at that, and points to the wood with a quizzically raised eyebrow.

Laughing a little breathlessly at the super simple signs, "I'm getting really good at signing. Rinian graduated me to more advanced stuff and it's actually been a lot easier since I have a good grasp of the basics," Mathis says with a grin, "Try it like you would with her, and if I don't get something I'll let you know." With his face first of all because he wore everything he felt on it, but he would let the man know verbally as well. "So you're doing something nice for…I'm guessing Sylvarin…and it's going to be a surprise. Oooh, can you tell me or…" Was it super duper special extra top secret, as in no one could know at all. At first with the look and point towards the wood he was dragging was perplexing, but shortly after Mathis brightens and his grin return. Oh. Oh, Faranth. That…that is a lot of teeth. "Hold on a second!" Shuffling feet put him around the thing and he leans over and grasps it, tipping it up so Teinon could see. It was undoubtedly a sign, a big one, and it had been beautifully lettered to spell out 'Leirouthtopia' in in arch, with smaller lettering beneath that read 'Spa & Resort'. It'd been stained to bring out the woodwork and varnished as to protect it from the elements.

Teinon raises his eyebrows, but he doesn't question Mathis's leet signing skillz. He sets the bucket down to free his hands, and tries for a more complicated explanation. Complete with all the unique grammatical constructions that go along with sign language. Neat! "A special surprise for just us." He leaves it at that, and stands back a step to have a look at the sign. He gives an eloquent approving look, and nods his appreciation for the craftsmanship. He adds a thumbs up, but then signs, "The walls should be made that well." He has a very dry wit that may or may not 'read' to someone who isn't fluent in sign. But at least the slight sparkle in his eye should give him a hint.

Mathis wasn't going to get better at signing unless he got to practice, and really he was only learning it to start with as to better communicate with someone he counted among his friends, namely Teinon. It really had felt easier to learn lately, as if something had clicked, but of course he was as fluent at it as the herder was and there would be signs that he would be completely baffled by. Not quite yet though, because as Teinon signs 'a special surprise just for us' he blinks once and colors pink in an instant, "Ah." No, he would not be inquiring further, his overactive imagination had painted him a clear enough picture that he effortlessly moves on to things that didn't make him look quite so uncomfortable. Like signing and signs. Clearing his throat, Mathis gives the woodcrafted item a pat and nods, "Yep, it came out pretty good. It was nice to have a reason to practice basic lettering. It was killing me not to make it…eh…fancier?" Maybe Teinon would get it, maybe he wouldn't but the teen nearly chokes on his own spit with that second round of signs, "Oh shells," comes with a chuckle, hazel eyes sliding towards the boxes done in crayon. "…Well…she didn't ask me to make the whole resort, but it does look like she recruited Risali's siblings to do the decorating."

Teinon is standing near the end of the stairs with Mathis. The latter has a wooden sign for the cardboard resort, while Tei has a full bucket of water resting on the ground at his feet. They seem to be having a rather friendly conversation. Tei, in particular, seems quite amused, while Mathis is blushing. Tei rolls his eyes and signs something that will probably only make it worse. "Gutter-mind." He smirks a bit, but allows the subject to change back to the topic of the sign. He gives the 'thumbs up' again to reiterate that he likes it, and nods his agreement at who must have decorated the beach 'resort'. He signs a more serious compliment this time, "The _sign_ is very nice."

Oopse, that there is a sign that Mathis doesn't understand, indicated by the slight tilt of his head and a whole lot of bewilderment. "What was that word before mind?" Not an expert and apparently Rinian hadn't taught him that sign yet, or he'd forgotten. The smirk that went along with it seems to suggest to him that maybe he didn't want to know. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his grip alters as he decides to drag it over towards a nearby boulder and prop it up against it for now, so he wouldn't have to hold it up anymore. "Aww, thanks!" he returns for the further praise, "First good snow fall or rain and the whole thing is going be…" Mathis makes a pffft sound and gestures to indicate flattening, hands then propped onto his hips as he surveys the many cardboard boxes and their colorful accents.
Teinon looks toward the sky, doing his best impersonation of an angel. Make a joke at Mathis's expense, knowing he probably won't understand the word? Naaaaah, Tei would never do that! But he softens it then with a grin and a shrug. He waves vaguely to indicate that it's probably not such a bad thing for the 'resort' to be temporary in nature. He picks up his bucket then, with a one-handed set of signs. "Back to work. Clear skies!" That last could probably be interpreted as a more general 'good luck', as well. But in any case, he hitches up the bucket to carry it more steadily, and continues on his way up the steps.

What Teinon was doing as he looked towards the sky is lost on Mathis, who just stands there beside the sign he made that says 'Leirouthtopia' in an arch with smaller letters at the bottom that said 'Resort & Spa'. It's been stained to make the lettering stand out and varnished against inclement weather. Snerking softly, Mathis nods and waves as the man departs, diverting his attention towards Rinian, "Oh, hey Rin! Thanks! I thought maybe Leirith could have it after these boxes turn into mush." Weather, being what it was.

Rinian nods. "That is a very good idea." Waste not want not. "I'm finally off duty so thought I'd come help man the baths. Any takers?"

"You think Risali and D'lei will let her have it?" It was a fairly large sign, and considering those drag marks towards the beach from the direction of the workshops, heavy. Mathis nibbles on his bottom lip as he surveys the signage, then shrugs because while it had been fun to mske, it was a little too plain for his tastes to keep. He'd probably be okay with having it broken up and used as kindling or something if the weyrleadership weren't interested in keeping it. "Oh, okay! Um…" The teen slides his eyes back towards the cardboard structures and the handful or so of people about, either curious about the 'spa' or willing to risk the icy water in the promise of cleanliness, but not many in this regard. It was winter after all. "No one's asked me about it, so…" Helplessly he shrugs and returns his attention to Rinian. "Been busy the last couple of days…maybe it'll pick up now that we're both here?"

Rinian nods and makes her way through the boxes to the baths themselves, to check on the setup. "Well, if Leirith wants it, who would tell her no?"
Apparently, as Rinian will see as she gets closer, when neither of them had been about someone or someones has been using the bathes. There was quite a bit more residual fire stuffs than there had been last time she'd been out there and Mathis had been just as good as she had been with cleaning things up and setting them for the next time. There has been sneakings of baths, free of charge! Not having been over there yet today, the younger woodcrafter abandons the sign where it rested in favor of following Rinian through the maze of boxes, stopping short once he notices the change. "I don't know, Risali and D'l…uh…" A moment later, he squints suspiciously. "…you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Rinian sighs. "Yes…well…to be expected." She gets to cleaning up the leftover mess. "Could you get us some more fuel?" She's pretty mellow about the whole thing, or perhaps she's just tired.

It's rare, but a frown appears on Mathis's face, giving Rinian a brief half-hug from the side and nodding, "Sure." And off he goes after he releases her, to collect enough wood to heat up the cauldron. It was currently empty. Either it'd burned off or been dumped, leaving it full of water would have been foolish as it would have frozen and potentially cracked the thing, its integrity questionable considering two apprentices got a hold of it and no one put up a fuss. At least the bath thief wasn't an idiot. Tossing the wood down beneath the cauldron, Mathis grabs a bucket in each hand from nearby, "You okay, Rin?" Just checking in before he starts hauling water up from the lake.

Rinian mm hmms with a nod. She makes sure the tubs are clean and closed, and then crouches by the wood he brought to get the fire started. It is a lot more modest than the bonfire of their training, and thankfully no boxes are within range of floating sparks.

There's a pause after Mathis nods in which he remains to watch Rinian, but at some point he does step away and start hauling water up from the lake two buckets at a time. At first, it seems rather easy, but as times goes on the struggle becomes notable with some emphasized grunts of effort and some light breathlessness. It takes quite a number of buckets full to fill that size caldron, only managing to get it about half way before he has to take a short break. A long look is given the lake, which really wasn't that far off at all, because not only did he have to get water to heat, he also had to have some filtered ones on hand to dial the temperature back from Instant Lobster Dinner to Ahhhh That's The Stuff.

Rinian gets that fire going decently, then takes her turn, snagging the buckets when he rests. "You ok?" Her turn to ask.

Mathis plunks himself down onto a decent sized crate, it's filled with towels and soapsand probably borrowed from the stores, and nods, "Yeah, I dragged the sign from the workshop on my own." And then he'd carted up half a cauldron full of water up from the lake. "I just need to sit a couple minutes." Hazel eyes follow her as she takes up the buckets and head for the lake, "Let me know when you need a break and I'll take over for you."

Rinian nods. "Take it easy. That sign looks really heavy…should have borrowed a wagon." She trots down to the lake to fill the buckets and start her turn at filling up the cauldron. On one of the rounds she says to him, "A bath would do you good as well." At some point they rigged curtains around them, so at least there is privacy for those who want it.

Laughing softly, "It seemed a good idea at the time? Borrowing it means asking and getting permission and then returning it, just thought it be faster to skip all that." Mathis shrugs his shoulders lightly with a grin, feeling a bit sore and tired at the moment, but tomorrow morning might be another story. For now, he sits, watching Rinian carry buckets of water up from the lake while swinging his legs a bit. Thunk-thunk every now and again as the heels of his boots make contact with the crate he's perched on. "Oh. A bath…" he groans as he droops a bit upon her return that run, "…that sounds amazing…" Sighing heavily, "I might take you up on that if no one shows up."

Rinian shrugs after dumping in water. "There are two baths. Why not?" And back she goes again, making enough trips to finish filling it without asking to trade off with him again. "Just the wait for that water to get heated enough."

It's a subdued Nessalyn who makes her way to Leirouthtopia with the ginger shadow of Cat not far behind her. After hearing the legend of the creation of Xanadu's very own 'resort', she had to see it for herself, along with the equally legendary wooden baths. She surveys the whole of it with a critical eye, brows drawing together in a faint frown. "Why don't you just pay some kids to run the water back and forth?" she asks as she approaches Mathis and Rinian in their task. "They make a bit of money and you don't have to do this work."

Hoping off the crate, Mathis appears to be rested enough to take over hauling water again, this time the kind that stays chilly to cool down what the cauldron would produce. "I was just thinking of what would happen if two people came at the same time and both of them wanted a bath," he confesses to his fellow woodcrafter, taking the buckets from her. "Okay, I'll go get the cold water then." It would be put into a barrel with a straining cloth over it to catch any lake muck or sediment, and then clean buckets would be used to gather up what flowed freely from a filtered spigot. He's about to go when Nessalyn and her feline companion arrive, setting himself on pause for the time being, exchanging a glance with Rinian, "She makes a good point, I know I'd rather be watching over things and cleaning up instead of getting water the whole time."

Cielo slinks down to the beach with his hands in his pockets and his head down. No he's not exactly walking on sunshine, but he looks clean. TOO CLEAN. A little red around the edges clean. Little accessories left off, in the basic tunic as he comes down to look at this new paradise on the shore with wide-eyed wonder. Quiet, but still. "… someone should take over for you," he agrees, giving a little wave.

Rinian notes to him, "They could wait…" She nods a greeting to Ness, "I thought we were the kids?" At least, she's more used to being a kid than not. She wonders of Mathis, "Do we make enough in marks to pay some kids?" She gets on her tippy toes to reach in and test the water. "Getting there…" She nods yet another greeting, to Cielo this time.

"The more kiddy kids," Nessalyn explains in a way that probably helps no one. "Or just kids your age, whatever. They're more likely to demand better payment, though." Whereas little kids can be bribed for minimal marks and some candy! TOTALLY FAIR LABOR PRACTICES. She eyes their setup again, even leaning down to better inspect the baths. The wheels are turning in that mechanically-inclined mind of hers, as she wonders, "How do you keep people from using the baths when you aren't here? Or are you just assuming we're all too lazy to carry our own water?"

"Not really good business practice to greedily horde the product," Mathis says with a crooked half-grin before looking between Nessalyn and Rinian as labels come into question and finds himself unable to keep himself from chuckling, "Kiddier kids?" Not making fun, but rather genuinely amused at how it'd been put instead of just saying younger kids. He's distracted not long after, eyebrows lifting at Rinian's question to him, "I'm not sure if anyone would do it or how much they'd want in exchange…I mean, I could offer some of my little carved figurines as payment. They sell pretty well." The money they'd made so far of selling bathes is of an indeterminate amount (they weren't really keeping track) and candy, all of it, belonged in his stomach. "Uh, well, we put out a bowl when we aren't here for marks, sort of on an honor system….but…" A glance towards said bowl, or rather where it had been, reveals the spot empty. Not only had the thief thieved a bath, but their bowl and whatever had been in it. A wince for this and he noticed the somewhat red edged Cielo, sans accessories, all his accessories. Including, as his eyes dart to the expanse of skin he can make out where hair and tunic doesn't cover, that tell-tale band of leather once around his neck. A little hurt, a little confused, the woodcrafter lifts a hand and idly waves while his gaze remains glued to the guy's neck. He doesn't ask, but it's written all over his face, 'where'd it go?' "You offering?" Admittedly, this was very distractedly said because he's busy fixating.

"Someone stealing a ~bath~ I suppose isn't so bad. If they are paying us in cleanliness. The other, though? A thief in the Weyr…? At a time like this." Cielo shakes his head and rubes his temples. And don't think he doesn't notice that look, Mathis! Ever assume-the-worse…r, he waves a palm up and gestures. "Under my bunk. 'til this whole infection mess is over. Do you know how many times I've scrubbed today?" He doesn't even know if he can TOUCH water right now and enjoy it. … maybe. But it's not so much on his mind. He finds a box to prop on and returns the greeting to Rinian, Nessa with a little smile. "Are we all.. surviving?" What a week, seriously.

Rinian feeds some more wood bits into the fire. It makes a good place to get rid of the scraps no good for woodcrafting. She hadn't noticed the missing bowl till Matty brought it up, and that gets a slight frown. Ah well…she sort of shrugs it off as a 'so it goes'. Surviving? Rin seems more quiet than usual, but she doesn't answer that question. "True, clean isn't so bad. But I wish they'd filled it up again."

"They stole your bowl?" Nessalyn arches a brow, a glance shifting between the two woodcrafters. It's more than likely that she thinks leaving a bowl out in the first place wasn't that great of an idea, but… "I can't believe it was even worth it to steal the thing. I could probably automate most of this." This last is thrown out almost as an afterthought, a curious look going toward Cielo for his seeming non-sequitur about his bunk. "Might be more secure that way. You'd still need someone to get the water." And feed the fire, of course. There's a shrug, before she offers an unenthusiastic, "Sure," in response to Cielo's query.

The youngest of the woodcrafters present nods once solemnly towards Cielo, "Kind of low, if you ask me." Which no one actually had so he moves on, passing by Rinian with a lingering and gentle squeeze of her shoulder before he picks up the buckets again and takes a gander in search of younger kids to bribe with promises of their choice of a wooden figurines or a pittance of marks. There's a sigh for Nessalyn as she seeks confirmation of bowl pilfering, "It was one of mine, so…" his eyes slipping off her to the side, suggesting that it was probably worth more than whatever was in it. No, not the smartest plan, he has to admit. Though, given his disappointment, it doesn't appear as if he'd fathomed the possibility that someone would take it or the marks in it. "Automate it?" Too late Ness, you've piqued his interest. "Could you really? I mean, wouldn't that take a lot work and time?" Half hopeful and half dubious as to the seriousness of the techcrafter's offer, he tilts his head slightly. Ahhh! Nessalyn lucks out as Mathis spots a couple of sturdy looking kids who'd just emerged from one of the cardboard buildings, already taking steps to head that direction. There is a pause just before he passes Cielo, "You're going to rub all your skin off, please be more gentle," he murmurs softly, apparently having accepted the reasoning behind that missing necklace. Then, he's off, to try some bribery. "Hey, you two…got a second?"

Cielo is eager to move on too, from so many dreary and lingering things. He feels the lukewarm answers and gives a little nod, touching on his own skin. "I'll… try. Better safe than sorry." The importance of sanitizing as a healer just feels DOUBLECOMPOUNDED but he's trying his best to stay perky. "Well. If they're not willing, I'd do a water run for you. Keep watch for a bit. Just let you catch a break…" And maybe Nessa too! She's here. But it looks like fresh recruits are on the way.

Rinian watches Matty go do his negotiating and checks the water again, getting on her tippy toes to feel it. "Well, we have hot water, if anyone wants a bath." She looks to Ness, "Would it take long or cost much to make the changes you're thinking about? And…does anybody know how much longer we'll even need the baths out here?"

There's a ginger tail that goes swishswishswish as the body attached to it vanishes into Leirouthopia, no doubt ready to wreak havoc upon any unfortunate 'vacationers' inside. RUN AWAAAAAAY. Nessalyn glances in his direction briefly, but seems to decide that other people are perfectly capable of handling a cat - or maybe she simply doesn't care. "I don't know," she informs Rinian with a shrug. "No need to charge. I'll just… say it's a project or something." There's no harm in lying when it benefits everyone! "I'll just call it community service and they'll probably let me focus on that."

Mathis returns a lot more quickly than perhaps anyone might have expected, eyes a bit wider for whatever those kids said in regards to his offer, handing the buckets off to Cielo. The only clue he gives is the under breath mutter of, "Little extortionists…" He does take the time to scan every bit of skin that wasn't covered and gives the dragonhealer the sort of look that clearly said that they would be having a discussion later, leaving it be for now as he takes the steps necessary to take him back to the crate and check on the contents. Finding that everything was accounted for, it's closed back up, and perhaps his faith in humanity isn't quite as crushed as it had been before, "Everything is still here, Rin." Just a side-note really, nothing that needed much attention. As she checks the water and announces that there could be a bath in someone's very near future, he looks between Nessalyn and Cielo, "Any takers?" If not, he was totally going in guys, cause he was so not daisy fresh after working on that sign, dragging it to the lake, and then carrying buckets of water. He wasn't quite so creeped out by the possibility of plague as some mostly because Sylvarin's cot wasn't far from his own. If anyone had completely sanitized their area, it was him, Faranth knows the antiseptic scent in there was substantial enough to imply that the baker had been quite the busy scrubber. Distracted by feline escape, he likely misses anything said to him or not in that time, drawn back by Nessalyn's agreement. "That's nice of you Nessalyn, thank you."

Cielo tries not to smile TOO much as the young and younger experience the fierce wages of Weyr economy. "Wonder who taught them…?" The dragonhealer muses. He can FEEL those accusatory eyes, and is ready to defend his hygiene to the last. THE LAST. "Perhaps later, thank you," he replies to Rinian. "I'm just… enjoying the air right now. And the company. Hopefully not much longer, but there's something novel about this maybe worth saving…" He continues to settle, buckets beside him, waiting for a time at which they will actually be needed. He does not ply into Nessa and Rin's negotiations, himself.

"I'm not doing it to be nice," Nessalyn clarifies, unable to let that misconception stand. "I'm doing it because it interests me. I just want to see if I can." Especially since it will likely have to be an entirely non-electronic system, given the location. She squints a little as she eyes the baths again, already mentally designing. In regards to the kids, "You just need to threaten them a little. Not enough that they think you'll actually do anything and report you, but enough that they do what you want. The sweet spot." When it comes to the baths, she declines with a quick shake of her head. All yours, Mathis.

"Space Renegades," Mathis conspiringly whispers back to Cielo, eyes still all rounded out following those kids' shock and awe campaign. They would discuss the merit of personal hygiene vs skin integrity at another time, but rest assured even if the woodcrafter walks away now, he will be return. "Don't worry," he grins over at Nessalyn, placing a finger over his lip and all those teeth to indicate her secret was safe with him. Yeah, he was totally going to believe what he wanted, while at the same time protecting her reputation. Everyone wins! Hand dropping away and expression evening out to something tipping towards neutral but with building interest, "I have zero experience with anything close to that, but…I'd be interested to learn if you're willing to teach me." Think about it, his countenance says wordlessly, shoulders lifting a touch merely to be dropped and with all around declination sees about having that bath.